Fixed thx Sambanistas: Parking light and turn signals....

[xavi_242]

I think this i s paranormal...

Front is OK, the problem is REAR:

* When switch on the parking lights or lights all is OK.
* When switch on left or right turn signal (PARKING LIGHTS SWITCH OFF) then the parking light bulbs (the filament corresponding to...) operates, on and off, etc... Including the plate light!!!
* When switch on left or right turn signal (PARKING LIGHTS SWITCH ON) then indicators or emergency lights did not work or do it in a very bad way... like front right indicator allways on and things like this.

The wires are OG and colours matches the wiring diagram corresponding to the model (JULY '67 WESTY)...

Other question: In the diagram I see a master cylinder with 2 switches (dual circuit, I think) and when I go unerneath I find a one switch master cylinder... Any idea?

The thing is that I'm trying to install a Euro Tail lights in a US Bus, so I should have to rewire from the turnsignal relay (disconnect where the brake wire connects to) to the rear brake light bulbs, Am I in the good way?

Any idea, comment or help will be wellcomed,

thank you
_________________
1967 Split SO-42 Dormobile

[cosmo]

1. run a new/good ground from the taillight housing to the body. Mine did the same strange things.

[busdaddy]

Your tail light issue sounds like bad grounds.

Does your master cyl. have two separate lines on the sides or one fitting on the end with the linse going into it ? If B then someone cheaped out and put an early M/C in your bus at some time. As long as you have one switch the lights still work.

As for the euro tail lights bypass the signal switch with the brake circuit, use one wire for brake lights (split at rear), use the other wire for a signal and connect it to a front signal, add a wire to the other front signal and run it to the rear.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[dstefun]

Parking light/tail light problem is definitely bad grounds, probably at the tail lights. When the ground connections are poor, the trons have to find their way to ground however they can and cause some really strange symptoms along the way.

For converting to Euro tail lights, this is what Matt Roberds sent me a couple of years ago: (Thanks Matt!)

[xavi_242]

* I tried the method of disconnect the 54 terminal in the 9-prong box, then connect to brake bulb. BRAKE LIGHT WORKS OK!

* My M/C have a switch-plug at the end, so someone cheaped the system

* Tail light and turn signal still doing strange things... I will try to reground housings or something else...

Can the problem be at the fuses box?? Tail light and turn signals fuses are one next to the other... maybe a short circuit???

thank you!
_________________
1967 Split SO-42 Dormobile

[dstefun]

It shouldn't be a problem at the fuse box, I'm 99.9% sure it's bad grounds. Be sure to check both tail light housings and both front lights too. If all four lights don't have separate ground wires, add them.

Make sure the 9-pin box is grounded good too. The early 9-pin boxes did not have a separate ground wire and were only grounded through the mounting screw. Later boxes have a separate brown ground wire. I would add the ground wire if your box does not have it.

Good luck! Electrical gremlins can be really frustrating!

[xavi_242]

You were right dstefun, yesterday I bypassed the taillights at the fusebox (grey from switch with the two whites that goes to the tail lights) and the gremlins still there...

My 9-pin box is a later repro, has the VW logo, but it's newer, and at the top has a piece of paper showing the colours of the wires that supose to go to each pin...

It don't have a ground wire... where should I solder to make a ground?

What do you mean adding separate ground wires to all four lights?

front indicators are fried eggs, so it ground directly to nose skin.
rear tail lights have a ground wire each housing (I have OG Hella Housings...)

Next weekend I will try to fix that problem!!! I should MOT the bus as soon as possible!!!

thank you
_________________
1967 Split SO-42 Dormobile

[coolerthanelvis]

Your 9-prong box grounds through the can and the current (or the electrons) flows from the can to the mounting bracket. Your box looks like it's not installed in the mounting bracket so it's not grounded to the chassis. The gremlins have nowhere to go so they're wreaking havoc with your taillights. You can solder a wire to any part of the exterior metal can on the 9-prong box, then ground it to the chassis somewhere. You may also want to get a new clip to hold your fusebox in place. Available here for $2.50: http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111937591
Without it, your fusebox can slip out of the bracket and ground out, cooking the big red wire coming up from the battery and the big red wire from the fusebox to the headlight switch and ignition.
_________________
Shawn
SV2s member #420
'68 Westy

"Do or do not, there is no try."
-Silent Bob

[xavi_242]

Thanks Coolerthanelvis... when I take the pic the 9prong box was not atached to the bracked, but now it is. And it grownds well, I checked.

The fuse box is also well atached.

But the problems still there. I checked the tail light housings for good ground and regrounded with a new wire to the chasis, and tested with a tester. Housing are not the problem. I think...

What happens:

1. Parlkights=turnsignal bulbs and taill ight bulbs on, (left and right) KO

2. Turn signal left (no parklights)=left TS bulb on OK

3. Turn signal right (no parklights)=All rear lights are intermittent, except TS left KO

thx
_________________
1967 Split SO-42 Dormobile

[llovette]

I had something similar happen. I found out that the turn signal switch's bakelite panel was cracked and the wires were grounding themselves. Fixed all with a new (used) turn switch. Hope this helps

[xavi_242]

thx lovette but turn signl is a bran new (repro) from WWest...
_________________
1967 Split SO-42 Dormobile

[xavi_242]

Well... at last the gremlins are gone...

Finally after two whole weekends of desesperation and brain braking I had to turn to my father, the voice of experience (and a mechanic since he was 15, now 62... very important too).

After 20 minutes checking grounds and connectibg tail lights wires direct from light switch and other tests he said: "Park light wires and turn signal wires are shor circuited at some point in the harness for sure, try to connect an outside test wire direct from the tail light pins at the fuse box to the rear housings"

We made a quick test-set from some speaker wire ant connect it and...
E-U-R-E-K-A!!!!!!! Problem fixed.

As I have to rewire the brakelight wire to convert to euro tail lights I will take the advantage and rewire turn signal, park light and a pre-installation for some gauges (rpm-counter, oil temp and battery charge)...

After this sermon I will like to thank to all who helped and who tried to... and of course to my father.
_________________
1967 Split SO-42 Dormobile